FFP LAUNCHES INAUGURAL 5K RUN/WALK - News Release - January 13, 2015

NEW FOOD FOR THE POOR 5K AMBASSADORS: Andrew Mahfood (second left), Chairman, Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica and David Mair (second right), Executive Director, expressing their gratitude to (from left) international reggae artiste, Orville ‘Shaggy’ Burrell; Jamaican sprinters, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir for committing to being Ambassadors for FFP’s inaugural 5K Run/Walk which will be held on May 9.

Kingston, Jamaica - January 13, 2015: Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica will host its inaugural 5K Run/Walk on May 9, of which proceeds will be used to build houses for needy Jamaicans living below the poverty line.

The charity organisation, which started 32 years ago in Jamaica, made the announcement today during a media launch held at Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

According to Mr. Andrew Mahfood, Chairman of FFP Jamaica, in an effort to have the charity organisation expand its target of houses to build for less fortunate Jamaicans in 2015, a decision was made to host a 5K Run/Walk.

Mr. Mahfood further stated that, "Food For The Poor is about 'Changing Lives' and 'Restoring Families' as our 5K slogan states. By hosting a 5K, not only will we be changing lives and restoring families when houses are built from the funds raised, but we will provide an avenue for corporate Jamaica and all Jamaicans to unite behind us with this run to generate funding that will improve lives of some very needy Jamaicans."

Mr. Mahfood said the date of May 9 was deliberately chosen, as it is the Eve of Mother's Day, and the charity organisation wants to celebrate with mothers living below the poverty line and are in need of proper housing facilities in Jamaica.

"There are many families which poverty has broken apart. If we can get funding to build houses and create sustainable lifestyles for mothers of these families, we would have gotten closer to fulfilling the mission here in Jamaica," Mr. Mahfood said.

FFP Jamaica’s 5K will be held concurrently with another Food For The Poor 5K Walk/Run which will be held in Geneva, Illinois that is aimed at raising funds to build houses for Haitians.

Jamaicans who want to register for FFP’s 5K Run/Walk can do so through the charity organisation’s website www.foodforthepoorja.org. Early bird registration costs $900, while late registration costs $1,000. Early bird registration ends on March 20, 2015, while late registration ends on April 27.

FFP is a local non-profit charity organisation which started 32 years ago in Jamaica which offers Jamaicans assistance in the areas of: housing, education, health, fisheries, food distribution, agriculture, income generating projects, prison ministry and social outreach.

Since its inception in 1984, Food for the Poor has built some 33,000 houses for needy Jamaicans. In 2014, FFP built 1,061 houses. For 2015, the organisation hopes to build 1,300 houses.

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For more information, please contact:
Ainsworth Morris, PROComm, Tel: 926-6740 or 3756136

FFP LAUNCHES INAUGURAL 5K RUN/WALK: Alfred 'Frano' Francis (center), Managing Director of Running Events Jamaica, hugs Jamaican sprinters, Yohan Blake (left) and Warren Weir at the launch, who committed to be ambassadors for Food For The Poor’s 5K Run/Walk which will be held on May 9.